Obama’s statement on religious tolerance an eye-opener for Modi govt: Muslim clerics

Terming United States President Barack Obama’s statement over religious tolerance as an “eye opener” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, Muslim clerics and scholars on Sunday said he should control elements who were hurting his development agenda. Secretary General of All India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Nizamuddin told PTI that Mr Obama had not said anything new, “but it is an eye opener for the Modi government”. He asked PM Modi to pay attention to the prevailing situation in the country in the wake of Mr Obama’s statement. 

“The PM should take into consideration the fact that senior leaders of his party were speaking in a language which was creating hatred in the society and hurting his government’s slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,” he said.

Scholars say that a society makes progress only in a just and peaceful environment, and it can be achieved only when efforts are not made to flare up communal passions. No person should have the freedom to speak against a particular section,” Maulana Nizamuddin said.